Mother Knows Best
by Crimson Rose97
Summary: King Sombra gets pushed aside for a new source of power
1. Part one: The Birthing

Time means nothing in the pit of Tartarus I was in, drifting away into nothingness that surrounds me. Always falling, never finding sweet taste of relief nor ever finding solid mass to which I may lie. Forever slowly slipping into madness and soon to become nothing.

How did it come to this? Everything I had planned wasted away...the Empire...my destiny… All gone...gone by a Princess and a baby dragon...A BABY! Of all the wretched things in this world that could possibly beat me? How humiliating! A baby dragon brought about my downfall.

A King I once was...now...trapped in a single piece of horn that wasn't blown to smithereens. Blasted into the wintery wasteland of the frozen north, as a last result, I had placed my soul within the horn...in hopes one day I may be reborn by my fellow Umbrum for I shall reclaim my throne and destroy the three princesses and the heart once and for all…

So long… so, so long...Drifting away aimlessly.

As I drifted into the empty space, I was consumed by this white light. This light was sort've calming, filled with this feeling...one I haven't experienced in so long…

Hope...

"[i]Sombra[/i]…." A soft voice cuts through the veil of shadows. Small and meek.

"[i]Sombra...wake up…"[/i] It grew louder, I found myself crawling towards the voice.

At first, my vision was blurry, only seeing a crystallized blob. But the more this voice called me out, the more of my vision came to be. Slowly, so slowly, my sight had returned, a pair of bright, crystal blue eyes stared back at me

This bright beautiful smile beaming down at me. My eyes widened when I realized where those bright blue eyes belonged to.

"You…"

It was Radiant Hope.

Hope let out an exciteful screech before jumping onto me, wrapping her hooves around my neck and held me in an embrace. "Ooooooh Sombra, I missed you so much!"

I was taken aback at this greatly. What was Hope doing here?

More importantly, where in Tartarus was I? I looked around and and found myself in some cottage. Laying in the middle of the living room floor. With Hope wrapped around my neck in such embrace.

I started to cough, licking his lips. It's been too long since I last spoke. My lips were dry, cracked. "Where am I?" I croaked.

"Oh," Hope pulls back but still had her hooves around my neck. "You're in my home. Sombra, I brought you back. It took me a moment find the right spell in combination with my healing magic. But you're here! you're alive!" She nuzzled up against the crook of my neck.

I pushed Hope off of me before standing up. I suddenly felt light headed before I was forced to the ground again. I felt my body was weak. A long time I spent inside of the horn. Too long. My limbs felt like jelly, I could barely stand.

"Sombra, hold on," Hope used her magic to carry a pillow and tucked it under his head. "Though you're back, you are far too weak to move. You've been gone for five years."

My red eyes twitched. Five years? I'd been gone that long? FIVE YEARS!?

The Umbrum, I could've sworn I'd return by their hooves, not this pony.

The last pony I never wanted to see. Her betrayal to me still hurts and I still held a grudge. Even after all these years….

"Impossible." I growled. "I haven't been gone.." I pushed myself up again, my legs wobbled and I fell to the ground once more. I couldn't even feel them waking up, that's how numb they felt to me.

"Yes you have." She says, turning to me. "I worked hard bringing you out. Just give me a second to..." Hope then used her magic, her calming yellow glow ignited her horn and wrapped the aura around me. The familiarity of calmness and healing cascaded over my body and mind. Feeling my strength returning to me. How Hope used to heal me when I was a child long ago.

The magic faded and I felt my strength returning. Testing it for myself, I pushed himself on his hooves, feeling myself balanced out.

I took a glance down at my hooves and saw that my armor was not on me. I had given myself a once over and noticed a few other things were astray; my dark crimson cape and my crown were gone. The symbol of my ruling. It was not on top of my head anymore.

My red eyes at the mare before me. "Where is my crown?" I growled at her.

"I don't know." Hope said, taking the black cape off of her. "It wasn't here when you came out."

With a snarl, I looked around her home. It was small, barely any room for the both of us. A small cottage with the hellish winter wasteland as a backdrop from the window. "Why did you bring me back?" I asked her.

"I brought you back so I can help you." Hope replied, slowly trotting towards me. "I didn't help you before was because I was scared. I'm not anymore." This idiot. She has no idea whom she's dealing with. Even at my weakened state, I still have power over her, I could feel it. "I know there's goodness in your heart, maybe if you just let me help you-" She reaches out with her hoof to touch me.

I slapped it away from me. "Help? Why would I want help from the likes of you?" I spat out with a snarl.

"Because I'm your friend!" Hope snapped. It surprised me, Hope raising her voice like that. She never did it before when we were children, even when she betrayed me. "Because I still love you!"

That word, that one word tasted like bile in my mouth. I started to laugh, it was absolutely ridiculous! [i]Love[/i] means nothing to me. A creature born out of hatred and fear knows nothing of it...not anymore.

What happened at the Crystal Empire was a flook. I wasn't strong enough to destroy the Heart then. Now that I was alive again, I can complete my mission, my destiny.

"Sombra, why are you laughing?" Hope asked.

"You foolish pony!" I cackled, using my magic, blasting a beam of crimson energy at Hope. Hope screamed was hit, she flew across the tiny cottage. Breaking through the door and landed in the snow outside.

Taking a hooded cloak she had in the home, I made my way over to her, lying unconscious on the ground, the snow quickly sticking to our bodies. The cold was bitter, but it didn't bother me at all.

I looked down at her. Maybe a long time ago, I had loved her as well. But when she betrayed me and left, she became dead to me. She still was.

Shuffling the snow around me, I gazed ahead towards the distance, barely seeing the tip of the Crystal Castle. The Empire was far, but I could make it. Taking one last look at Radiant Hope, I took off running towards home, leaving her there in the snow. Whatever happens to her, I wouldn't care.

But, when I got merely five feet away from the cottage, something shot out of the snow and grabbed hold of me. It was black, transparent, wrapping around my body in a deadlock vice.

I tried using my magic and blast it away, it only went through it and began dragging me into the ground.

I tried teleporting away, turning into my shadow form, it only grip tighter.

I continued to fight this off before I was consumed by the ground.

[hr]

What felt like another eternity, I could barely lift my head. As if what energy I had from before was completely depleted. Rolling over to my stomach, I realized that I was in a throne room. Green and black torches flickered, the shadows dancing on the onyx stone walls. The floor stretched in a dark marble, large columns stretched as far as the eye could see, disappearing in the dark ceiling above.

Blood red carpet stretched from where I was at to the throne. What appears to be sharp jagged spiers and bones of various creatures were impaled as decoration. Sitting on the throne, a rather large female umbrum was casting a glare that had me coward from her gaze. Though it was the first time I've seen this place and the first time seeing this frightening creature, I knew who it was sitting on the throne. There was no denying it.

This creature was the Queen of the Umbrum. My mother…

"So.. you have returned…" she hissed, her elongated fangs bared at me.

"Mother…" I muttered, pushing myself.

"You have no right being back." The queen said. "You failed your mission, you're nothing to me."

"I underestimated the enemy, I won't allow that to happen again." I gained my grounding and stood up. "Just give me time and the Empire is-"

With a stomp of her hooves, the braziers erupted and more of the umbrum appeared in the hall. All roaring and snapping at me, their clawed hooves reaching out and their attempts to touch me.

"So you can fail me once more?" She laughs. "You're kidding, right? Not only you were thwarted by the princess of love, but you had your flank handed to you by a baby! You're a laughing stalk of the whole kingdom!"

"I can take all of them down!" I roared. "Just give me a few days and I eradicate them all!"

My outburst just made them laugh harder.

Shadow tendrils shot out and wrapped around my body, the forceful pressure was crushing my sides. I shouted and went to move but the tendrils tightened. each movement I made, the tendrils tightened their grip, making it impossible to breathe. My magic as weak as it was, I couldn't escape.

"Oh my son, you can't possibly expect that I'll-" The queen was then cut off by the whooshing sound of the doors opening.

"My queen, it's time!" This disembodied voice echoed through the room. The throne room became quiet by the sudden announcement. For the longest moment, no creature made a sound. Only to the sounds of my erratic breathing echoed the dark hall.

Time for what? I wondered.

Narrowing her white eyes, she stepped off of her throne. Turning to the other umbrum, she snarled. "Leave us!" Her voice boomed.

The umbrum dissipated, leaving only me, Mother and the umbrum who spoke. When mother turned to me, she scuffed. "Might as well bring you around to see what we have been constructing these past five years."

I was then engulfed by this black, transparent aura and levitate in the air by dark magic. My mother and the umbrum began to glide - not walk, glide - across the marble floors with me floating behind them.

Down the darkened halls, though it has been centuries since I last came here long ago, it remained the same. From the crystals lining the halls, shadows crawling in every corner. Creatures in malform forms screeching. Howlering out as if they were in eminence torture. This was home. This hellish pit was… home. How I had forgotten the sounds of this place. The way the sounds reverberate down in my bones. The disembodied shadows screaming and snarling like the beasts we are. A constant reminder how different and terrifying the umbrum are truly are compared to the ponies above us all.

With memories returned to me years ago, I'd suffered nightmares of this place. Unknowingly why I had dreams. Dreams that used to keep me up at night, with Radiant Hope by my side, soothing awa-

No! I will not think of that wench! She is of no concern to me, I made sure of that.

What was concerning me was the three of us going deeper through the halls. "Where are we going?" I asked, trying to move within the magical barrier but it was a useless move.

Mother didn't look at me when she answered. "If you must know, since your so called "defeat" and the birth of the newest princess, the Crystal Heart is stronger than it's ever been before. Even if you were to regain your strength, you wouldn't be able to get close to it, despite you having a pony form, you won't survive being around it. That's how more powerful it become."

Coming towards a long winding staircase, taking me into a chamber. The chamber was round, with a single light shining down in the center. In a makeshift bed, screaming this hellish, blood curdling scream. The worst than I ever heard - and it should be music to my ears.

In the center of the room, being surrounded by two umbrums tending to it…

Was a young unicorn. Her coat was a deep purple, her mane and tail a darker shade. Her cutie mark had seized to exist by the ghastly scar on her flank - a result of losing her identity and what left of her horn was sawed off so she couldn't use magic.. And from what I could tell from where I was.

The mare was heavily pregnant, the way she was screaming and sweating, she was in labor.

"Sombra, meet Vira," the queen introduced us.

"What is this?" I asked her again, watching [i]Vira[/i] contorted and screamed, the two umbrum around and held her down.

"As troubling as it is, an idea came to mind, since no one can even get close to Heart and destroy it, what if we make a creature that can not only get close and do the deed, but instead of shattering that trinket...they corrupt it." She explained, not even phased by the mare's deathingly scream. "Similar to of your making, I know. But my son, you are a shadow in pony form. So, I had the idea to make a creature that can withstand the power of the heart."

The thought of that did send shivers down my spine. She was talking about creating a Hybrid. Half Umbrum, Half Pony.

An abomination.

"Now, as the years past, we did have some hiccups, not finding the right mare to breed with. All of them were weak. Either weak or the offspring die before or during the birthing. In cases the mare dies as well."

"How many have you done…?" I asked her, watching Vira screamed more and more before the two umbrum got in place.

One shadow held her forehooves and the other got to her hind legs, prepping her up.

"If this one fails," Mother shrugged. "Nineteen."

[i]Nineteen?![/i] Nineteen tries?!

"Don't give me that look, son, at least I kept going after each failing instead of trapping my soul in a horn like a horcrux."

.Then, the screaming stopped.

Both Mother and I turned to Vira. She lay limp on the bed. From what I could tell, her chest wasn't moving.

One of the shadows pulled back, in it's transparent hooves was the foal. It's skin was just as dead as the mother.

Mother let out a curse. "Blast it!" Her magic disrupted and I fell to the ground with a yelp. She glided over to the bodies and snarled. "I could've sworn this one would be different! I was sure of it!" With her magic, both bodies began to burn in a green hellfire. She looked at the two.

"Continue to scout, we will not give up!" She ordered.

I glared at her as I began sitting up. Mother had to be insane. Even though I want nothing more to have my own Empire and be feared by any means necessary, but children dying nineteen times - now twenty. That was evil, even for me.

Before I could subject something to her, the green flames of the mother began to change.

This chill began to take hold of everything. The sudden temperature drop was startling, the ability to see all of our fire continued to burn but the colors changed from green to ink black.

The room began to shake, the walls began to crack. This horrific scream rang through all of our ears. This scream wasn't the sound of creatures being tortured, the sound sounded like it was coming from the deepest dark pits of Tartarus!

This power surge. I could feel it, it was all around the room. It was nothing unlike I ever felt. It was strong, more powerful than I ever felt. At best, this energy rivals that of the Princesses.

But with that, came this sense of fear. Sheer, unadulterated fear, as if Mother had messed with forces she couldn't understand.

Forces that will surely kill us all!

I tried to leave but Mother had again trapped me in her magical barrier. "Where do you think you're going!?" she hissed.

The foal and the mare were reduced to ashes and that sound stopped with everything standing still…

The next sound we all heard, was a sound of a baby crying.

Mother and I turned to the table. There, lying in the ashes, at it's heart's content, barely bigger than my hoof was a little foal, a filly.

Her coat was a lighter shade of grey, but her muzzle, all the way down her neck and belly was a dark purple, her hooves were gradient to that same shade as well. Her short mane and tail was light velvet. Eyes were brightly blue through the barrage of tears.

Mother lets go of me and went straight to the filly. "So much power…" She said lowly, lifting the crying filly in her magic up in the air to examine her more. "Can you feel it my son. So much pain, hatred...fear." She chuckled darkly. "Sweet, delicious fear. Almost destroyed you didn't I?" She cooed softly, making the baby cry louder.

Mother looked at me and sweetly smiled - which was very unsettling. "She's too tired to attack. But what she did before we found her? Aw! You felt her power."

I was sickened with this. For a baby, she was able to hold that much power, a newborn to that! I watched as Mother coddled the tiny creature, wondering if the girl could do all that - though it wasn't much, it gotten the point - imagine with the right training, she would be unstoppable.

"Sombra," Mother then called for me. She held the baby out. "Say hello to Umbré"


	2. Part two: Hope's here

Endless nights, Mother had tended this...[i]Umbré.[/i] This atrocity of an infant. As the weeks that went by, preparing [i]it[/i] for transfer to the top world, I feel despise towards the child.

Mother had tossed me aside like garbage, removed me of my crown and practically gave it to the abomination. Giving it my destiny, my throne, [b][i]MY EMPIRE![/i][/b]

I knew destroying the child child was out of the question due to the fact it's always being within Mother's grasps, surrounded by guards. No leeway to even attempt it.

With each passing I made of it's room, I would always see the child in its crib. This green crystal filled with dark magic that was flowing inside it. To make sure she is filled with enough evil energy that will last throughout the rest of her life. At least one of the umbrum guards told me one night.

[i]Umbré this[/i] and [i]The Chosen One that[/i], that was what I always hear when I traveled down to the underground city (yes, the city of Niflheim, even living under the Empire, surrounded by endless shadows, the Umbrum created a small city filled with everything the shadows need of...on the exception of actual food for me. Those literally have to be scavenged.) The cave ceiling above me gave the impression of the night sky, stars above us all.

The citizens keep talking about that creature in the main hall. It was sickening, praising it when it hasn't even done anything yet.

In fact, it hasn't done anything since it's birthing!

"Pah!" I scuffed as I trotted towards a ruined fountain and sat on the stone. Raising an apple one of the things Mother was able to get since I have a physical form, and took a bite out of it. "If I hear one more thing about that brat, I'm going to kill them." I knew it was petty, sweating over a baby...but given my recent track record with them, it's an understatement.

I sighed, shaking my head before throwing the apple across the cavern.

This was ridiculous! I'm worryingly over a blasted infant! I still have power, I'm getting stronger every day!

And I'm going to show Mother what I can do.

I will regain my throne if it's the last thing I'll do!

[hr]

Lying in this prison of this crib, little Umbré found herself constantly scared. These monsters were everywhere, either taunting her, acting like they were going to hurt her, or trying to get her in their ghastly hooves.

This "Mother" was the worst. She killed Umbré's mother and her twin, waying sweetly sickening things on what she'll have Umbré do. Even trying to put pure evil inside her.

But, unbestowing to all of them - including the baby herself - if anyone would take a good look at the baby, there was a very faint outline, a faint blue glow around her whole body. Her magic was protecting her without realizing it. Protecting from the evil crystal. The pony half of her was protecting her. The side of love and hope.

But hope was dying the more the baby stays here, if they keep replacing the crystal, it's only the matter of time before it could do its job.

The evil crystal, drained of its color, stops pouring it's evil essense in her, it was empty. And at the same time, the magic barrier disappeared. Leaving Umbré drained of energy.

She yawned before curling into a ball and proceed on taking a nap. Then, hearing the collective voices coming from down the hall, caused Umbré to start crying.

The guards moved aside as the Queen marched in.

"How is my little Nightshade?" The queen cooed softly at her.

Umbré cries louder, scooting as far as she could away from her.

The queen used her magic to lift the child up to her. "Has she done anything?" she asked the guards.

"No ma'am, she hasn't done anything worth wild." one of the disembodied ghosts told her.

"It'll take time. She is a baby after all. Power takes time, patience." She said, giving the crying babe a kiss on her screaming head. "Don't worry, mommy's here, you'll come around eventually. Mother knows best."

That's what she thinks!

Umbré whimpers before a small collective of dust fills her nose. She let out a loud sneeze…

And poofed out of Mother's hold.

"Oh?" Mother alarmingly said, seeing the baby teleport in a blue light.

Her and the guards looked around before looking down the hall and saw Umbré sitting on the ground dazed. Confused.

"Told you boys." Mother chuckles. She went to pick her up again when the baby sneezed again and poofed off again.

[center]***[/center]

Somewhere in the Hall, Umbré appeared, landing on something soft and silky. Something that made her cooed curiously.

"What the hell?!"

[hr]

I groaned loudly, I was on my way to find Mother when all of the sudden, something fell on my head.

Using my magic, I lifted whatever it was on my head. Of course it was the child.

At first glance, the baby looked harmless enough. One wouldn't think she was a source of fear and power, not fully a whole unicorn.

So small, so meek, one well place wall or the right height to end this. No one around

As they say, "Get them before they grow."

"Ah~choo!" it sneezed. A poof of blue aura later and the child teleported out of my hold.

I felt something on my head again. The child was lying on top of my head again.

It cooed softly, it's hooves were messing with my mane. Then started to babble happily, nuzzling against me.

I growled before taking the child off of me. "I'm not your mother." I told Umbré.

Umbré started to giggle, it's hooves out reached for me, no fear in her eyes.

My guess, since I'm the only umbrum with a physical form, it seems mo as not a threat. I glared at it before putting it down on the ground. "Leave me alone." I snarled before wandering off.

"Choo!" Umbré's sneezes again and this time it disappeared and reappeared on my back.

I put it down roughly, already i was getting annoyed.

It starts crying.

[i]Grrr![/i] It even sounds like a normal baby.

I went to leave again when I noticed sparks of blue magic. I looked and and saw the baby's horn was sputtering magic. As the baby cries, the magic grows.

Unicorn foals are known for having magical spurts till they are stable as they get older. Same goes for this abomination.

"Alright, enough of that." I said, creating a soundproof barrier, hearing total silence. Through the red cage, the baby's magic grew and grew. The barrier should keep it contain from teleporting away.

I felt dust entering my nose and sneezed myself. There was so much dust in this cavern it's ridiculous.

"Sombra."

Mother and the creature's guards marched towards us.

I glared at them as they approached. Lifting the crying child." Did you lose this?"

Umbré stopped crying but her horn still sputtered in magic. It tried to reach for me, facing away from Mother.

"It seems Umbré has taken a liking to you." Mother observed, watching us.

"The feeling is one sided." I grumbled. I passed it off to them. "Mother, we need to ta~"

"AH-CHOO!" Umbré sneezes very loudly. A beam of magic energy shoots through the barrier - shattering my spell and dropped the child on the ground, screaming in pain. The beam shot at the ceiling, a stalagmite got hit and it starts falling directly at us.

Mother shot a black beam at it to destroy it. At the same time, the child let out another huge sneeze and teleports away at the same time.

"She's gone!"one of the guards announced.

No duh! You think?!

Mother snarled before thrusting her ghostly hoof at my face and made an order. "Sombra, you want a second chance, I'm putting you in charge of the task of retrieving the child!"

I hissed, pushing her hoof away. "Why would I ever want to find-"

I was cut off by Mother's power exploding, engulfing everything in shadows.

This sheer pain starts to take hold of me. It started off in my chest, then every fiber of my body felt like it was being torn apart. Piece by piece of my soul was being ripped away from my very being. I screamed in agony. The pain felt all too familiar.

When the crystal heart was charged up and my body was shattered!

"Unless you want me to finish what that heart started, find the child and bring her back to me!" Mother disembodied, demonic voice hissed loudly, emphasising by another powerful pull of my body. Feeling my body, my soul being stripped away.

The pain was too unbearable, I screamed and screamed, close to begging her to stop.

"As soon as it came to be, the pain stopped. The darkness disappeared. I was left breathless, sweat pouring down my body. I looked up at Mother, gasping for air.

"[b]BRING ME BACK MY BABY![/b]." the Queen roared.

[hr]

Umbré rolled in the snowy hill till she reached the bottom. The skies blackened as a storm was raging on.

The bitter cold hits her hard. She cries out, but no one was around. Umbré tried to move but pain takes hold of her. Her left forehoof was broken. It happened when Sombra accidently dropped her.

The snow muffled the sounds of the baby's painful crying. The cold froze her tears, her body shuddered, desperate need of warmth. She had no idea where she was, this wasteland..no pony was around.

Umbré almost wanted to go back to that dark place… at least it was warm.

The bitter cold takes hold of her. Her eyes became very heavy.. So...so tired, she couldn't help herself as her cries slowly turned to soft whimpers, then to nothing at all. She began to close her eyes before she felt her body lifting up in the air. This feeling was warm, calming. Nothing at all what she would normally feel when being lifted by magic.

Before Umbré was consumed in slumber, she hears the most beautiful voice ever.

"It's gonna be okay, it's gonna be okay." The feeling of hooves and cloth wraps around the baby.

"Everything's fine, I gotcha now...Hope's here."


	3. Part three: A Hopeful care

Monsters, monsters were everywhere. The Empire had fallen, the umbrum ran amuck on the city. On all of Equestria. The citizens were either captured and enslaved or lying in the streets as corpses.

The princesses were all but dead.

And the Crystal Heart, the most powerful weapon to fight back the dreaded shadows, it lie in pieces. The shiny blue of powerful love was blackened , filled with fear. And after it did its job of filling the ponies in all of Equestria full of fear, it shattered.

Standing over it all, standing in the dark castle, taking it all of the chaos and destruction…

The Demon of Shadows, the Harbinger of Death. Next to it was a tall unicorn. Her coat was dark grey, her mane was flowing in shadows with a single white streak to show her older age. Her dark mystic cutie mark was covered by her dark crimson cape, her obsidian crown above her brow was Mother. The Queen of the Umbrum.

"Take it all in, my dear." Mother sighed happily. "This is what the Empire is meant to be. The way it always was. Amore never had the guts to use her powers to rule them all. Her benevolence cost her everything." She placed her hoof on her demon's head. "This is all for you, Umbré."

The child, all grown up, looked up to the Queen. "Yes...Mother…"

* * *

Baby Umbré woke up screaming in fright from the nightmare. It felt all too real, one of the things the Queen wanted her to do.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" This voice calls out. A warm pair of hooves lifts Umbré up and holds her close to their chest, rocking her gently. "It's okay, it's just a bad dream." The pony assured her. "You're safe now, little one."

Umbré whimpered softly, her crying slowed. She opened her eyes and…

A pair of crystal blues was staring back at her. This pony was absolutely gorgeous! Her purple coat and light blue mane shined, her crystalling pattern glistening in the light of the roaring fire. Her demeanor was warm, welcoming.

"Why hello." She giggled, seeing Umbré awake.

Umbré tilts her head curiously at the pony. She wasn't made of shadow nor looked like that mean stallion that dropped her. She whimpered softly while her eyes darted across her new surroundings.

"Oh, it's okay little one." The unicorn said. She slowly spun around, showing the infant the tiny cottage. The main door was held together by glue and duct tape.

Like something was thrown out of the door and broke it. "Whoever just dropped you off in that storm should be ashamed." the kind pony sighed before looking at Umbré and smiled softly. "My name's Radiant Hope. I'm the one who saved you, and healed your arm."

Umbré coos softly before looking at her arms. She remembers somewhat one of them was broken, right? She shook both of them to check. No pain, no sign of damage. Like it never happened.

"I have a special type of magic. I can heal any ailment. You're right as rain." Hope giggled. A timer went off somewhere. "Oh, you woke up just in time for lunch."

To Umbré, lunch was this yucky gooey stuff the monsters make her drink. Half of the time she pukes it up, it was that bad.

Hope used her magic, she lifted whatever she made and brought it up to the baby.

It was a bottle of white liquid.

"It's formulated milk. I went shopping while you were resting." She told Umbré,

The bottle was the same design the monsters used to feed her. So Umbré was hesitant, pushing the bottle away from her with her hooves.

"It's good, warm too." Hope assured her, waving the bottle.

Well… Umbré was pretty hungry. Starving even.

Hope brought the bottle to the infant's lips. She takes it and drinks.

It was delicious! Umbré ends up taking the bottle from the mare's magic, grabbing the bottle with all fours and drank hungerly. The drink disappeared instantly.

"Oh my!" Hope gasped softly.

When nothing but air was suckled out, Umbré whimperes. She took the bottle and shook it, shaking it to see if more would come out. It was empty.

Umbré started to cry for more. Waving the bottle like crazy in front of Hope's face.

Hope giggled. "Okay, okay," she says before taking the bottle back and getting her a refill and then giving it back to Umbré.

Who takes it and drinks the milk down within ten seconds. The baby empties it too and starts crying again. Hope gave her another refill and once again Umbré hungrily drinks it down till it was gone and cries again.

"Wow, you're really hungry. Has anypony been feeding you?" Hope asks, looking at her. She lifts Umbré up and saw how skinny she was. "Whoever was your parents, they should pay for not taking care of you." she shook her head. Clearly both upset and angered on whoever dumped her outside.

She puts Umbré over her shoulder and patted the crying babe's back.

Umbré continued to cry before the patting sensation caused her to burp…

And in turn, sets the couch on fire. Flames sporting in black.

"Oh that's a goo-" Hope was cut off by the smell of burnt fabric. She turns around and gasped loudly. "On my!"

Hope collected snow from outside by using her magic and dumped the snow on the burning couch. Quickly dousing the flames. Umbré giggled, seeing the expression on the crystal pony's face.

"I know unicorn foals have weird magical spurts, but burping black flames-"

"Choo!" the baby sneezed and teleports out of Hope's hooves and reappeared on her countertop.

"Teleporting, maybe." Hope couldn't even help but smile at her. She couldn't even get mad at the baby.

Hope walks up to her, tickling her sides when she got to her. Umbré giggled and squealed in laughter. "I might have a spell that can stable your raw magic, until you're ready that is."

Then this horrid awful smell hits Hope like a freight train. Causing her to arch away. "Pooey! You be a stinky baby. When was the last time you were changed… or given a bath?"

Now she really realized that Umbré was very ill taken care of. To her, whoever had her were cruel enough to mistreat this innocent baby, went out of their way on dumping her in the cold to die.

If Hope only knew what she was tending to or knew the whole story.

Umbré was left by herself most of the day back in the underground place, in that crib. Surrounded by monsters. She never even heard of the word "bath".

"Well, I'm gonna fix that." Hope said, using her warm magic, she lifts Umbré up and carried her across the small cottage towards a large tub.

The faucet turns and warm water spews out of the spout. After removing the deceptive excuse for a diaper and threw it in the fireplace, Hope proceeds on putting Umbré in it.

Umbré whimpers. This bath was scaring her. She looked to Hope and starts fussing.

"It's okay, the water is nice and warm." Hope assures her more before lowering her in the tub.

Umbré jolted when the water first touched her, but soon welcomed it. As it wasn't harming her.

"See? It's not so scary," Hope giggled, giving the water a tiny splash.

Umbré cooed curiously. The water made a weird sound. She tried her hoof at it. Slapping the water surface. When hearing it made that sound again and the water splashed all around, she starts giggling. Raising both her arms, Umbré repeatedly splashed the water out of joy.

This place was already better than the dark place. No scary monsters, Umbré was fed properly and now enjoying her first bath.

And it only got better when Radiant Hope puts in this sweet smelling liquid in and this strange foam formed in the water. Tiny little floating orbs flew in the air.

"Nothing makes bath time more fun than bubbles!"

One of these _bubbles_ floated down to Umbré's nose and popped on contact. The sounds of her laugh was infectious.

"Bubbas! Bubbas!" Umbré then squealed as she played.

Hope stopped there. "Huh?" She looked at Umbré. "Did...did you just talk?"

"Bubbas?" Umbré repeated the word. Now covered in the sweet bubbles. She looked at Hope with her big innocent baby blues.

Hope looks at her closely. "Aren't you a little young to be speaking?"

Umbré grabs hooffuls of bubbles and blew it at Hope's face and laughs. "Bubbas!"

Hope blinks at that before wiping it off of her face and giggled. "You're intelligent for a baby. That's good." she smiled. "Maybe you can tell me your name then? Can't very well keep calling you 'little filly' or 'baby'."

Umbré looked at her confused.

Hope then points at herself with her hoof. "Hope. Ha-ope." She then points at the baby.

Umbré opens her mouth. She made grunting sounds as if she's trying to speak.

Then…

"Ha-op-ey."

"Excuse me?"

"Ha-opey." Umbré repeated, sounding a bit clearer. " **Hopey!** "

"Hopey?" Hope mutters before realizing Umbré was saying her name. "Oh! I'm Hopey!"

Umbré waddles up to Hope through the barrage of bubbles and hugged her face. "Hopey!" she cooed happily. "Hopey, bubbas!"

Hope laughs at the adorableness. "Yes! We shall provide more bubbles!" Umbré squeals in delight.

After at least another ten more minutes of playing, Hope proceeds on washing the foal. Umbré really enjoyed it.

This kindness the child never received until now, coming from a stranger to boot. Feeding her, giving her a bath, treating her what she was in fact: a baby.

When bathtime was over and Umbré was cleaned and properly changed, she snuggled into a fleece blanket that was very warm.

"Hmm," Hope thinks,"something's missing." she said. When the unicorn smiled, she levitates a brush and a long ribbon. She brushes Umbré's short messy mane before gathering it up and tied it in a bow.

She then hovers a mirror over to have Umbré look at herself.

Umbré looked confused, seeing her reflection. The bow on her head was white, shiny even.

"It's the only ribbon I had lying out." Hope smiles. "But it looks sooo cute!"

Umbré joyful coos agreed with her.

* * *

Where could that infernal brat go!? I silently cursed as I looked around the frozen landscape.

For a baby, it couldn't have gotten this far! And if the child could come out here, I doubt it if it'll even survive the frigid temperatures.

I walked around with this pain in my stomach. My limbers were starting to ache with each step. This pain, I recognized it from my youth. The first year I came here, when the Faire was occurring and I fell ill.

The faire; though I haven't been around for years, I still remember the date. It wasn't until tomorrow and yet I was already starting to feel the effects of the Crystal Heart. Even out here, I could still feel it's power.

Mother was right. If I were to even attempt to recapture the Crystal Heart, I wouldn't even get close to it without it destroying me with one touch.

If mother was right, then this should should be able to withstand this power of _love._

I traveled the snowy barren lands. Hearing the harsh whistlings of the scorching winds. Barely hearing the sounds of a train echoing in the distance.

I gaze towards a random path, I saw a smoke of a fire risen from a chimney. The only sign of any life outside of the Empire.

I gritted my teeth, remembering who's home was out here. I wanted to turn away but something told me to pursue more. Following a hunch.

One I'd be very agitated if correct about it. I started following the smoke trail...all the way to Hope.

The closer I got to the cottage, the more sick I felt. I knew her home was far from the castle, but it seems there was more power coming from the tiny cottage.

More..love.

I ended up kneeling to the snow. I was barely at the door before I collasped. The energy here was too much. I jerked my head up, looking through the window, I could make out the child.

THE CHILD WAS HERE?!

It's horn was lit, objects were flying around, it's hooves flying freely and giggling.

Picking up the fallen items, trying her best to play with the creature was Hope. From what I saw, there was joy in her eyes. Hope was tending to it as if the foal was hers. So full of love and happiness.

The child, now not surrounded by the Umbrum, was feeling the same, no fear in her whatsoever.

So much for mother's plan to put evil permanently in it.

Still, I have to get the child back. As much as it sickens me, but I had to wait until after the faire. I felt weak even out here. It hasn't been a whole day and yet the love in this area was strong.

With a hiss, I turned into my mist form and flew away to bide my time.

* * *

Hope finally caught up to Umbré. She thought after the bath that the baby wanted a nap. NOPE!

Umbré wanted to play with her new friend. Hours upon hours playing left both of them exhausted.

"Okay, little filly. It's time for bed." Hope chuckled tiredly.

Umbré tried to fuss - to protest, but all she could was yawn. It was a long and joyous day for her.

Hope giggled softly before carrying the infant over to her bed and both of the lie down on it.

Umbré curled up against her as Hope pulls a blanket over them.

"You know...I'm an orphan like you. The orphanage wasn't bad…" Hope told the baby. "But… but I think I should keep you here, with me. Would you like that? I can raise you, show you all kinds of things, we'd play all day long."

Umbré cooed happily, nuzzling against her neck. "Hopey…" She said tiredly.

"And maybe, someday, instead of _Hopey,_ you can...call me _mommy_? Would you like that?" Hope looked down at Umbré and saw she was already fast asleep. Hope smiling brightly before kissing the top of her head before curling up herself. "Goodnight…"


	4. Part four: The Faire

" _ **WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T GET HER?!**_." Mother roared at me when I told her.

Standing before her in the Main Hall, I told her of the child's location and who has it and why I didn't have her with me.

"Like I told you, Mother. The faire is today. I won't be able to get remotely close to her without the Heart tearing me apart."

"And she's in the hooves of your... _old friend_ , no less." She hissed at me.

I shook my head. "Hope is nothing to be of concern. I do have a plan on taking the child from her and bringing it back." I stated. "It will take some time though, so be patient.

"Even if it means going against her? Will you be able to strike the pony down to complete your task at hoof?"

I nodded. "There's nothing more important than finishing the mission."

"Good…" Mother lowly said before waving me out.

I turned and left the Hall. My mind was already planning to retrieve the child. It should be easy considering hope was never much for a fighter. She may be a powerful healer, but she never fights. Despite her vivid imagination of her being a knight, she could never harm a fly.

Still…

Facing hope… for my sake, I hope the ghost of my past, my lesser being doesn't come for me.

* * *

The moment Umbré woke up, she woke with a smile on her face.

She sat up with a yawn, stretching her tiny arms over her head. Umbré then flickered the bow with her hooves and giggles. She really, really liked it.

Umbré giggled softly before looking up and seeing Hope's face. Sleeping peacefully.

"Hopey," Umbré happily said, but Hope continued to sleep. Her hooves were over the baby's body in a loving embrace.

Umbré tilts her head to the side. This feeling swirling inside her, it wasn't fear nor anger writhing inside like she felt towards the monsters.

This feeling towards Hope, it was different, she liked it.

Umbré made happy noise before turning around. The bedroom was small. There was only a dresser filled with clothes, a single picture in a red shiny frame. Books were stacked high all around the room. It made it very small.

Though, Umbré couldn't keep her eyes off of the shiny frame. Hope was asleep and the bed was high enough to where Umbré would get hurt if she were to fall off.

So, magic would have to be suffice.

Umbré concentrated as hard as she could. She lifted things last night, she could do this. Her horn sparked blue, the frame became engulfed in its aura and starts levitating up. The infant giggled as she takes the picture and brought it over to her. Cooing in triumphant, she starts nomming on one of the corners.

The frame quickly became coaxed in her drool.

 _Run! Run before the dragon gets you! He's right behind us!_

Umbré stopped nomming on it. She thought she heard Hope's voice and turned around to face her.

She found out that Hope was still asleep. She hasn't moved an inch. Confused, Umbré turned back to the photo. And now really looked at the picture instead of the shiny frame. It had two young foals. One looked like young Hope running and laughing. Following behind her…

Was a young colt. He had dark grey coat and shiny black wavy mane and bright emerald green eyes that were full of laughter and happiness. He was playing whatever game Hope was playing.

Umbré started to hear the same voice again coming out of the photo, but this time, she starts hearing the colt talking as well. _HAH! A dragon could never defeat me! I'll take him on!_

His voice… it sounded familiar. Then again, Umbré didn't know who he was. Still, voice coming from the pictures? The memory of the past capturing the final moments before getting caught in this slip of glossy colorful paper. Ghost of the past talking to her.

"Oh? And what do you have there?"

Umbré tilts her head up and saw Hope looking down at her and smiled.

Hope took the photo away from the baby and looked at it and sighed. "Sweet Celestia… I forgot about this one."

Umbré frowned slightly, she saw this subtle sad look on her face.

Hope looks at the photo and then look back at the baby. "This is me." She points at her younger self. Then she slides it to the colt. "This...this is Sombra. He was an orphan too. He was my best friend."

Sombra? Why does that same sound familiar?

"He's gone… he gave into the darkness and I lost him." Hope placed it on her nightstand. "Let's hope I don't lose you, Filla."

Umbré made a face. Seriously? Filla?

"What? Filla is a cute name."

Umbré shook her head no.

"Hmmm, Gemstone Waterfall?" Hope asks.

Umbré stuck her tongue out on that one. Nope!

"Ruby Deathstroke?"

Umbré made an X motion with her arms and blew her tongue.

Hope then spits out more name that might be good enough to use for the baby's name. Umbré tossed all of them out. Declining each and every one Hope threw at her.

She sighed. "Okay, Miss Smartypants. If those names don't feel like you, do you have an idea?"

Umbré already had a name. Though the Queen named her, it was still her name nonetheless. And oddly enough, it sounded more interesting than the others.

Hope looked at the baby as she tried to sound her name out.

"U... _Umbré_." though Umbré pronounced it with an _Om_ as in _Ombré_

"Umbré?" Hope asks, even pronouncing it the same as the foal. Her eyes then sparkled before picking her up and hugging Umbré. "At least your folks gave you a cute name! Umbré, Umbré, Umbré!"

The way Hope said it was full of warmth and joy.

"Well then, Umbré, nice to finally meet you." Hope giggled, booping the infant's muzzle. Umbré babbles happily, grabbing her hoof in hers and cooed lovely.

After she was fed and handled the other main baby duties, the two placed for a while, enjoying each other's time. The tiny cottage was filled with laughter and squeals of joy coming from both parties.

But slowly as the day progressed, Umbré starts getting this strange feeling. This feeling slowly creeping up to her every few moments. Every so often, Umbré would look out towards the door. There was something outside attracting her.

Around lunch time, Umbré waddled up to the door. She starts banging against it with her tiny hooves, wanting to get out.

"Umbré?" Hope asks, seeing her with a raised brow. "What's wrong, sweetie?" She approached the foal.

Umbré kept beating on the door. She couldn't reach for the handle so she began using her magic and turned the knob before walking out.

Hope used her magic to stop Umbré and brought her up to her face. "What's gotten in you? Why do you want to head outside?"

Umbré babbles loudly, trying to walk outside while trapped in this golden magical aura bubble. Something was beckoning her.

More importantly, towards the Crystal Empire.

Hope looked out, casting a look towards the Empire as well. "The Crystal Faire is today." she chirped in realizing. "One of my favorite memories from when I was your age was the time my parents took me to the faire! Last I went, they didn't have enough flugelhorns…." She then sighed softly. "Time sure goes by fast… even if it's been a thousand years since I last went. It's still the most magical time of the year… Hearth's Warming being second."

Umbré looked like she was still walking in the magic.

Hope began to smile, an idea began forming in her head. She turns to Umbré and gotten her attention. "Do you like to go see the Crystal Faire?"

Umbré looked to Hope and curiously babbles.

Hope giggled before grabbing her saddle bag. "To the Faire we go!"

"Hopey!" Umbré cheered and soon the two were off.

The faire was compact full of crystal ponies and tourists from all over Equestria and beyond. Lively games and music echoing loudly through the shiny city. Food and booths were out on display as they all get ready for the main event.

Hope waltz around the streets with Umbré riding on top of her head. Since Hope's mane was soft, it was hard for her to get down. She didn't mind.

"While we're here, we should do some shopping. You do need some toys and a bed." Hope said as they moved. "Though after last night, i don't mind the evening snuggles."

Umbré emphasises with a hug of her head.

A flash of light startles her then. Umbré's horn lit up and a shout later, Hope gasps.

"HEY!" The two of them looked down and saw a little piglet with a pony's face and a camera attached to it. "What's the big idea?!"

"Oh sweet Celestia, i'm so sorry!" Hope quickly said before using a spell to reverse the change. The young colt faced before them. "She's still getting used to her magic. You scared her."

Umbré looked at the pony and babbles softly.

"I should've asked, but you two just look so cute, I couldn't help it." He giggled. The photo pops out of his camera. "Here," he said, hoofing it over to them.

Hope takes it with her magic and giggled when looking at it. "Wow, you're right, we do look cute." She said before showing it to Umbré.

She took it from the mare and looked at the picture. Like earlier back at the cabin, she could hear the voices prior to the photo taken.

[img] dc70/f/2018/245/1/8/hopeandumbrum_by_ [/img]

Right down to hearing herself happily hugging Hope. She then took the picture and put it in her mouth and tears a corner piece of it off.

Hope quickly took it away from her. "No no, no nonononono! That's not for eating!" she took it and placed it back in her saddle bag. "Not for eating."

Umbré let out a whine before it was gone quickly by a bottle of milk and drinks it down happily.

[hr]

Up in the Crystal Castle, baby Flurry Heart was being pampered and getting ready for the Faire.

"Oh my gosh! Your first Crystal Faire, this is most exciting!" one of the mares brushing her mane said.

"This is even more Exciting than her Crystaling and her brith!" the other mare said, picking a dress out for her.

"Hopefully not as exciting as her crystaling." Princess Cadence came into the room and giggled.

Flurry cooed excitedly upon seeing her mother. Her wings flapped in happiness. She the flew out of the mare's hold and came up to Cadence and hugged her. She babbles happily.

Cadence chuckles and hugged her back. "Do you think you can behave today?"

Flurry Heart cooed as if she was answering.

"And how are my two favorite fillies doing?" Shining Armor trotted in, adjusting his guard uniform.

"Just getting Flurry ready." cadenced smiled at her husband. The two shared a sweet kiss before kissing the cheeks of their daughter.

Flurry squeals in delight.

The got Flurry ready and soon left to the fair below. Ever Since Sunburst stabilized her magic, Flurry wanted to have some fun. After hearing about the faire for months, she was excited.

Even if it means getting into trouble.

But….

As soon as they stepped outside, the crystal ponies quickly gather around them. Wanting to hug and hold Flurry,. Saying how cute and pretty the baby alicorn was.

As much as Flurry Heart adored the praising...she didn't want to just sit around everypony else. She wanted to play the games the faire was hosting.

She tried to fly away but her parents kept her as they addressed the ponies.

The baby grunted as she sat on her daddy's back with her arms crossed.

"Don't worry, honey," Shining said to Flurry. "We'll get to the faire. Just give us a moment."

Then, a puny comes running, her green and brown mane sizzling. "Help, help! There are some ruffians destroying the faire!"

"I got her." Cadence said as she took Flurry in her magic and held her.

"I won't be long." Shining said before walking to the pony. "Okay, show me where." he said before following the mare out.

The two saw the prince consort leave before Cadence turned back to her subjects. She tried to push them back but they seem to keep coming.

Flurry grunted loudly before shaking her head.

She wants to enjoy the fair, not just sit there and let these guys crowd around her.

Flurry Heart sighed, before - in her own way - says screw this and takes thing into her own hooves and teleports off.

"Flurry?!" Cadence immediately took noticed and looked around. "Oh no...not again!" She groaned.

[hr]

Hope and Umbré were walking around. Sharing a rather large thing of crystal cotton candy. Umbré's face was covered in specks of the sugary sweetness.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Hope asked with a giggle.

"Hopey, Hopey, Hopey!" Umbré cheered.

Then, Hope felt something stirring in her belling. "Ooh…I gotta go." she said, trotting the nearest stall and sat the infant down in the ground.

"Umbré, I'm only gonna be in there for a minute. Hang tight okay?" Hope said before giving Umbré the rest of the cotton candy and went inside of the stall to use the restroom.

As Umbré happily ate the rest of it, she looks up to the sky and saw this colorful creature flying across the skies. She raised a brow out of curiosity. It was tiny, just like her.

Umbré cooed softly before using her magic. She wanted to go to the tiny flying thing. At first, her magic started hurting her head, but pretty soon, her body was covered in her blue aura and was levitated up in the air. She giggles in triumph and took off flying after it.

Hope soon came out of the stall with a sigh. "I think that candy was bah-baby Umbré!?" Hope gasped loudly. "Oh no! Where did you go?!" She looked around before taking off down the streets. "Umbré! Where did you go?! Umbré!? Umbré!"

[Now entering Rugrat Umbré and Flurry 3]

Flurry landed ontop of a roof, she looked down at the faire below.

"Now, what to do first?" Flurry asked herself, scanning the ponies below. "Eat some candy? Play some games? Scare daddy?" Flurry giggled evilly, rubbing her hooves together. "That's always fun."

"What's fun?"

"EEK!" Flurry jumped by that voice and turned around.

Umbré stood behind her with a smile. "Ello!"

"You scared me!" flurry puffed her cheeks. "And how did you get up here?"

Umbré shrugged. "I dunno." She then looked at Flurry with a raised brow. "What are you?"

"Huh?" Flurry looked at the pony as if she had two heads. "What I am? You don't know who I am?"

"Should I?" Umbré asked **. "** Well, you look like me. We're babies, we have horns...but you have wings." she circled around the tiny little princess. "Very pretty."

Flurry giggled, watching Umbré circling her. "You're funny. I'm Flurry Heart."

"Umbré." Umbré giggled back. She hovers her cotton candy over to Flurry. "Want some? It's really good!"

Flurry takes it with her magic and tears a piece of it and ate it. "Yum! This is good!"

"Hopey bought it for me. She's really, really nice."

"Hopey? Is she your mommy or sister?" Flurry asked.

"Mommy?" Umbré asked confused. "What a _mommy?_ " Umbré thought to the queen at the dark place, calling herself "Mother,".

"Mommy? Oh, she's a pony who loves us and takes care of us unconditionally, no matter what we do." Flurry said, looking down to see Cadence running with her guards to try and find the baby princess. "A Mommy gives birth to us."

Umbré didn't hear that last bit as she looked down below and saw Hope running through the streets as well, lifting various things trying to find her.

Umbré sighed happily. "Hpey…"

Flurry then tapped her shoulder. "Since you have magic like me, wanna blow stuff up?"

Umbré squealed loudly. "WOULD I!"

The two foals giggled loudly before taking off

 _ ***TEN MINUTES LATER***_

Ponies were running all over the streets. All of them screaming as beams of magic energy were being blasted all around. Being done by two magical foals who were laughing their tiny butts off

"NOT AGAIN!" one pony screamed.

"This is fun!" Flurry laughed as they flew around, causing mayhem.

"This is! But…" Umbré looked to her. "Would other ponies get hurt because of this?"

Flurry shrugged. "From what I heard, something always happens during this time. No pony is getting hurt."

" _Ow! My leg!_ " a pony in the distance cried out.

Both of the foals frowned.

"Yeah, you're right." flurry said. "Wanna see something?"

"Sure!"

The two took off to the base of the Crystal palace. On its pedestal was the jewel of the Empire.

The Crystal Heart.

"Oooooooooh!: Umbré awed at it. She floated towards it.

"It is. I was named after it." Flurry explained. "Something about….shattering it and the snow….or something." She shrugged.

"Hmm." Umbré said.

This heart. It was shiny, pretty blue… She lifted a tiny hoof up. "Can I touch it?"

"Sure." Flurry shrugged. "Just be careful. It's breakable."

Umbré placed a hoof on the Heart. The Heart started to flash pure white. Soon, everything was covered in this blinding white light.

"WHOA!" Flurry covered her eyes with her hooves and wings to block the light. It lasted only a minute before the light just vanished.

"That was...owie…" Flurry groaned, rubbing her eyes before unfurling her wings and opened her eyes.

The Heart was still there, still shiny and blue…

But… Umbré was gone.

"Umbré? Where did you go!?" Flurry whines loudly.


	5. Part five: You can Choose

When Umbré woke up, everything was white. She looked around for any signs of life. There was nothing. No pony but her.

She sat up, the floor was reflecting every move she made, rippling each time as if it was made of water. "Hopey…" Umbré whimpers softly. She looked for Flurry too but no one came calling.

As she sat there, not knowing what to do, she starts hearing sounds of hooves running across the void. Umbré turned to look just to be tackled down.

The creature just let out a horrific screech, starting hitting Umbré with it's claws.

Umbré cried before teleporting away in the air. She held herself up and gasps when she gazed down on what attacked her.

The creature was small, a baby itself. Taken pony form, it's coat was grotesque grey, eyes purely black with purple mist flowing, horn was long and curved, stained in red. Though small, the horns on its head were prominent. The tail and mane merged into flowing shadow, this darkness seeped from its body, flowing tendrils on either side of it.

A demon.

It screeched loudly before wings rippled out of the darkness and took off after Umbré.

Umbré eeped loudly before flying away.

The demon made pursuit, flying after her.

The two raced around the white void, the demon shot at Umbré with ti's dark magic, but the goal managed to dodged from the blasts. Umbré rolled and flew as hard as she could, she demon was right at her tail. She could feel the demon's claws just touching her flanks, causing her to fly harder. Umbré was so scared, she didn't know what to do against it.

The demon screeched loudly, it's dark horn glowed, consuming the foal in it's aura. Umbré cried out as the demon slammed her out of the sky and collided with the floor.

This demon, this creature was full of blood lust and unadulterated hatred towards the filly, throws Umbré around like she was a rag doll. The foal screamed loudly in pain as it slammed her repeatedly on the floor.

It ended up jumping on top of her. Umbré screamed out of terror, she tried to fight it off but it became quickly apparent that it was stronger than her. She shut her eyes close and awaited for the end.

Until…

"I think that's quite enough." A beautiful female voice echoed the void. Soon the demon foal disappeared.

Umbré opened her eyes. Instead of seeing the demon, she sees this beautiful unicorn. She was tall with a pink coat and curly mane that faded from fuchsia, to a lighter pink to a blue at the end. She had a pretty jeweled saddle on her back a tiara on her head. This whole aura full of love and happiness and a sense of royalty radiated out from her.

The unicorn giggled to see her. "Why hello little one."

Umbré tilted her head confused and babbled as if she's trying to ask _What was that?_

The unicorn engulfed the foal in her blue magical aura and placed her on her back. "Everything's is fine. That creature wasn't hurting you, it can't."

More questions than answers apparently.

"Umbré, my name is Princess Amore. Where you are in is inside of the crystal heart, the void." she explained. "When you touched the heart, I brought you in here so we could talk."

Umbré frowned. "Hopey…?"

The princess smiled. "You'll be with Hope soon enough. Don't you worry about that. I just need to talk to you. I know you are a different filly from the others, you being a hybrid of shadow and pony."

The foal whimpered at that. She hated that word, _hybrid_ , being reminded of what she was. Even though she was only a few weeks old, she understands more than others think.

The princess's radiant smile then retracted to a serious look. "I know you have a terrible destiny at your hooves, you'll probably forget this as you grow, but I am here to tell you. In hopes you carry this somehow while you age to maturity. There is a way to defeat the darkness that lurks inside you." She motioned her head towards the side.

Umbré followed and gasped. She saw the demon foal sitting alone just a few feet from them. She wrapped her hooves around the princess's neck and coward down for protection.

"It can't hurt you...but Umbré, this demon is you...what Obscura - the Shadow Queen - has planned on what you'll become when you mature."

Umbré shook her head no at that. She didn't want it to happen.

"Sadly, that creature will always be inside you, but Umbré, you can control it." Amore explained as the creature faded from their view. "Balance is everything. The light is also inside you, you can balance the darkness inside you. You may not understand this right now, but you will soon. Balance hatred with love; fear with happiness. I tried telling this to my old student, but he allowed the darkness to take fully control. I hope you are able to do a better job than him."

Umbré listened to her, but she was confused, what was she talking about?

She then smiled softly at her. "You already saw how the Umbrum were, how awful they were towards you. You already saw of one future if Obscura should win, you want to change that. And you can. You can choose your destiny, Umbré. I have a feeling you already did."

Now that Umbré understood fully. She didn't want to harm any pony, she wanted to be surrounded by love, sunlight, happiness, no more darkness, no more hatred.

The princess's horn began to glow. "It's time for you to go. I hope you take all I said to heart."

Umbré woke up with a groan, she rubbed her head before shaking it.

That was a very vivid dream she just had. She sat up to look for Flurry Heart but she wasn't there. The skies had turned to night and the streets were emptied.

Or so she thought.

"Umbré!" hope's voice shouted in the streets. The pony came to view and gasped loudly when she saw Umbré near the heart.

She ran over to the foal, picked her up and hugged her tightly. "Oh Umbré, you scared the devil out of me!" she kissed her head before lifting her up and examined her for any injuries. "Where did you go? Why did you run off?!"

Umbré babbled cutely, trying to explained in her baby talk but Hope didn't understand any of it.

Hope then just sighed. "I searched for you during the celebration. You should've seen it, the heart glowed brighter than ever." She levetated Umbré to the top of her head. "Welp, there's always next year, you little snot."

Umbré giggled, hugging Hope's head.

Hope smiled before she walking off.

Umbré turned around to glance at the crystal heart. She saw a white shine from it and smiled softly.


	6. Part six: who you're meant to be

Yes! After days of agonizingly waiting for the wretched festival to end, I was finally able to execute my plan to retrieve the child from Hope. Though the effects of the Crystal Heart were still contaminating the air and made it almost hard to bare it. I have to complete the task at hoof.

Meeting with Mother before the assault, I stood before her as she sat on her throne.

"Tonight is the night," Mother said, staring down at me, "the child will return to us so we could continue our plans. Sombra, do whatever it takes to bring Umbré back."

I nodded in response, granting her a small bow as in result. "I'll bring it back to you."

"Don't...fail me this time, my son." mother hissed at me before sending me on my way.

With a nod, Mother's horn glowed, my body engulfed in magic before teleporting me up to the surface world.

The cold brutally hit against my coat, standing in the field of the hellish field of ice and snow to only see the smoke of the cabin in the far distance. The stench of love lay thickened in the air, making me sick to my stomach just standing out here. But I have to shut it out, the time was nigh.

If Hope knows what was good for her, she'll back down and hand the child over. If she doesn't, I will have no choice but use my powers on her…

Even if it means killing her.

I began my descent towards the cabin, my magic melting the snow all around as I walked, warming the air all around.

 _Sombra…._

A ghastly voice rang in my ears as I moved forward.

 _Please my son, don't do this!_

That voice...I was filled with such hatred when I realized who it was speaking to me from the great beyond. Only one other mare called me that and she was the one who made me this way..

 _Amore…_

"Amore...you have no hold over me no more," I gravely spoke. Mists of dark magic seeped through my eyes as I kept walking towards the cabin. My dark abilities were clawing out of my flesh, wanting to unleash it all around the Empire, all over Equestria. "I don't know how you are speaking to me from your shattered parts, but get out of my head."

I looked to and saw the apparition of the former princess, her transparent ghastly body was obscuring the home.

 _I'm sorry for banishing you, I'm sorry for everything, but please...leave the two alone. You've been brought back to life for a reason. Use this to begin a new life, out of Obscura's reigns._ The princess begged for them.

I snarled at her feeble attempt before passing through the figure, the apparition faded away and so did her voice.

Damned her be, it was her fault that drove me into my dark path. She was my teacher, and I her student. A mistake was made and she casted me out, Hope didn't even pleaded for my stay and let me out here to die. Mother brought me back, gave me purpose, my intentions of ruling the Empire.

I will have that chance, even if I have to use the child to get my throne back.

* * *

These past few days were amazing to Umbré. Nothing but love and affection from her new caretaker. The tiny cabin was slowly expanding so the foal could have her own room where she could do pretty much whatever she wanted. Toys were literally scattered everywhere and empty bottles of milk were present as well.

Hope enjoyed having the filly around. Her heart swelled each time she's around her, especially since after the faire she went to the court's office and gained the adoption papers so she could legally adopt Umbré. She was also currently talking to Sunburst to see if she couldn't have the spell that could tone down the filly's unstable magic just enough to where she won't hurt anyone.

But until then, the furniture, the photos, the kitchen sink, all of that was in the air and became the baby's playthings.

"I see some little filly is going to be a powerful unicorn." Hope giggled as she marveled Umbré's magical properties.

Umbré squealed in laughter and joy, periodically levitating herself so she could hop off the surfaces of things she was lifting up.

Hope watched her with a smile. "Umbré, can you call me, mama?" she asked as she sat on a chair and watched her.

"Hopey, Hopey, Hopey!" the foal squealed as she floated into a basket. Hope used that time to grab the basket and pulled her down to her and hugged her.

All the stuff just dropped to the ground, causing the mare to jump with a nervous yelp.

"Oh my." Hope commented on that as the baby giggled in innocence. She looked to Umbré and smirked. "I'll get you to call me mama eventually." She nuzzled up to her cheek. "I have you all to myself, adopting you and all that. You'll come around soon."

Now those were the words Umbré could get by. Hope was everything Mother - Obscura - was not. Hope was caring, loving. Would do anything to keep her happy, feed her, change her...love her.

Love...this amazing feeling that surrounded her tiny heart. The darkness was there, but with love to keep it company, she felt complete, whole. And it's all thanks to Hope.

Umbré planted a kiss on her cheek and cooed in happiness….

Then, this looming dark presences crept along her spine. This feeling of fear and darkness and smoke filled her bones. She remember this feeling. Though when she first came cross paths with him, she thought he'd be an ally...but he was an ally with evil, with Mother.

And he was right outside the cabin.

Umbré started to fuss loudly. Pushing Hope on her head to get her to turn around or to do something. To warn her that a very bad stallion was here.

"Hopey, Hopey!" Umbré cried out. Repeatingly pushing her to move her head to look or to get going. She tried lifting her using her magic but Hope wasn't budging.

"Huh? Umbré, what's wrong?" Hope asked with a concerned look. "Is everything okay?"

Umbré cried out, trying to get her to understand. Hope stared at her before she looked up just in time to look up at the mirror and caught a crimson red beam growing closer to them.

Hope gasped loudly before holding her daughter close, her magic quickly engulfed the two and they teleported just as the beam hits the cabin and it exploded.

The two rolled into the cold snow, Umbré started crying loudly being outside once more.

"It's okay, honey, I got-" hope gasped when she looked up and saw that the cabin was reduced in crimson blaze. The sky turned red and grim, this feeling crept her nerves. Holding Umbré close to her body, the unicorn slowly stood up and turned around…

And faced Sombra himself.

* * *

"Sombra…" Hope muttered my name softly. Holding the child in her hoof. Seeing it holding her for protection, depending on her to save it's life.

There was something different about Hope. Last time her eyes were filled with hopes of redeeming me, thinking we would be together if she would to revive her. There were still love in her eyes, but something else. It was colder, darker towards me. No fear, no traces of such when she looked at me.

"I've come for the child, Hope." I demanded at her, stepping towards her. "If you know what it's good for you and your wretched life, you will give it to me willingly."

Hope tightened her hold on Umbré, stepping away from me. Trying to put as much distance as she could between me and the foal.

"Why should I? So you and whoever you have allied with could poison her with the same evil that poisoned you? Not a chance, Sombra." Hope hissed at me.

"That foal is not a normal filly. It is-"

"I know what she is. A hybrid."

The child's eyes widened in surprise, looking up at Hope. "Hopey…?" it spoke softly.

Hopey? Now that was just ridiculous.

"I know what she is. I didn't know at first, but I quickly learned that she's like you. An umbrum." Hope said, staring me down.

"Then you know that having it around you will only cause you pain and destruction. Give it to me at once." I told her, standing only mere five feet from Hope. "Don't make me have to kill you."

Hope's magic glowed, engulfing the child hold. It cried loudly as the foal was ripped from Hope's arm. But instead of levitating it to me, she carried Umbré to a tall shelf that was lying down in the snow, picking it up with her magic to set it up straight and placed the foal on the top shelf and placed a shield around it whole.

"I will not let you take my daughter away from me." Hope stood defiant.

"Hopey…" Umbré whispered from her perched.

I let out a humorless laugh. Daughter? She was that idiotic to even care for the little abomination. To even calling it that as if the child was truly hers.

"Foolish idiot. So be it!" My horn engulfed in its magic before blasting at her.

* * *

Umbré was forced to sit back on this shelf and watched Hope have a magical duel with Sombra. She whimpered softly, curling up into a tight ball of fear.

When Sombra shot that high concentration of magic beam shot at her, Hope teleported out of the way, appearing to the right side next to where the beam hit with a snarl.

Hope's horn engulfed in gold aura, the snow underneath the unicorns' hooves began to move, raising up in the air above her head. They swirled around Hope before they rapidly solidifying into sharp icicles, aiming right at Sombra and shot at him.

Sombra turned into smoke, letting the icicles ran through him before taking off into the air. His horn consumed in darkmagic caused the ground below Hope to shake. Large shards of black crystals raised up and encased her.

Lights broke through the crystals and they shattered into tiny little pieces. Hope snarled before shooting at Sombra with her magic, the blast was so powerful that when it hit Sombra, he was knocked him out of his shadow form and knocked him to the ground out of surprise.

"Thanks for that longevity curse you set upon me years ago, I had over a thousand years of practice." Hope snarled.

When Sombra took over the Empire, before he and the empire were banished, he cursed Hope with longevity, forced to spend all that time alone while her home was lost. She had a lot of time to work on her magic.

Sombra started to laugh, staring down at her. "Well good, I didn't want this to get boring anyway!"

Umbré shook from where she was at. Watching this fight rage on. Sitting back, she watched the duel rage on. The classic battle of good vs evil, everything was - as cliche it was - everything was at stake. If Hope wins, she'll be able to have a good decent life, a normal life filled with love and joy. If Sombra wins...if Obscura wins, then Equestria would forever.

Beams of gold and purple/green flashed across the red streaked skies. The terrain around them was getting destroyed by the magic being flown around. The foal watched in fear, placed her hoof out on the shield and watched.

Fear...she felt this feeling before, during her first few weeks underground, being constantly afraid by the shadows, by mother. The feeling returned twice over, this time...she feared for Hope.

As she watched the magic duel, she didn't see that her purple hooves where turning black.

* * *

I couldn't believe this, fighting with Hope in equal terms. All I ever known of Hope was her uncanny ability to heal all alement, seeing her with this much power, being able to keep up with my power, it was something else.

When I cursed her with long life, I meant it for her to suffer for betraying me, suffering of being forced to watch as her so called home becoming my empire, seeing her people become my slaves…not learning these powerful spells being used against me.

The spells Hope used was impeccable. From blasts of concentrated magic, manipulating the ground around her, even creating a golem out of ice and snow to fight alongside her. The spells she was using was at that of an alicorn.

Truly, from what we saw in the reflection of the crystal heart many eons ago was correct, she has a potential of becoming a princess. Her power right now shows it.

 _Having problems, my son?_ I heard mother's voice echoing in my head.

"I got this!" I hissed at her as I used one of my powerful spells. The skies above flickered in lightning, the winds picking up heavily, the ground shook. A to-

 _This is getting ridiculous. The child is more important than this sow._ Mother's voice rang again. _Allow me to help…_

"I said I got this!" I snapped at her as a funnel formed above us. Lightning and ice swarming inside of it, coming to touchdown and wreak havoc.

But as it touched the ground, the spell sputtered out. "Huh?!"

"What's wrong?" Hope called out.

I tried using my spell again but the results were the same. "What the hell is fucking going on?!"

 _Ooh. I should've mentioned your magic has a limiter on it. I placed the spell there just in case you want to try and betray me._

Oh my Goddesses that did not just happened! I was too speechless to comment on that. She put a limiter spell on me, knowing what I was doing!?

"Sombra?" I snapped head back up to Hope. Her gaze softened at me. Giving me that one look that meant she still cared for me. "Is everything okay? What's wrong with your magic?"

I don't even fully realize it myself.

 _Well, that's bad on my part, love. I'm sending reinforcements to your aid. Just grab the foal._

"What?!" I shouted.

"Sombra?" Hope startledly asked.

The ground shook beneath us. Crackling beneath our hooves, opening to the underground city. Sounds of the umbrum screaming and shrieking as something rushed above the surface.

I looked down at the hole before looking at Hope. "Hope, run!" something deep inside of me shouted out. My voice wasn't disembodied like it was before. A piece of my old self came out to warn her...followed by this old flame igniting. "Go now!"

Hope looked at me before she gave me a mid and took off to Umbré.

But...she didn't even get close to her.

" _ **MAMA!"**_ Umbré screamed.


	7. Part seven: What have I done?

Standing there in total disbelief, I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. Pain stricken in my chest, feeling sharp claws squeezing and crushing my heart.

 _Thump thump, thump thump._

The sounds of such rapidly drowned in my ears, legs shook, feeling like jelly once more.

Looking beyond scorched ground and burning cabin, the child had somehow gotten off the shelf and was on the ground, crying over what appeared to be a body lying in the blood soaked blanket of snow.

I didn't want to believe it was really her. I didn't want to look and see. These feelings swirled in my mind, emotions I haven't felt in over a thousand years. What I have believed I had tarnished, came back to the limelight.

Following this metaphysical pull, it tugged me over to them. I had fought the pull and tried to command my body to stop moving but I had failed in doing so. My body had a mind of it's own and it took me over to the child and the body.

Hope… I had warned her to run. In admists of the battle, I told her to run. To grab the infant and run.

A piece of my old self, the stallion who was once in love with her, who had fallen for her during the course of our childhood had re-emerged after all this time. The stallion I used to be, for that one moment, he came back.

I approached the body and froze. Everything, from sounds, smells, the feel of the wind faded into the background as one thing came to focus. The body laying on her side, limbs were twisted all the way around and bent at an awkward angle, blood from various places seeping into the snow.

My fears were realized right there…

It was Hope, lying motionless. Her chest ceased to move, eyes never fluttered by the sound of Umbré's loud screams and cries. At the moment, the child didn't even exist; all that it seems was Hope right in front of me.

 _Sombra, the deed is done,_ Mother's voice echoed in my mind. I could feel her claws tapping on my metasoul. Wrapping her arms around my shoulders and given me a cold embrace. _Grab the child and be done with this, my beautiful King._

Mother...Mother killed Hope. She had all this time to get the abomination herself instead of making me do this.

 _Oh Sombra! Sombra wake up sleepy head, you slept in, you silly goose!_

 _I wouldn't sleep in if you hadn't kept snoring all night long._

 _I don't snore!_

 _Sombra, look what I got!_

 _You...you got a letter from the Princesses of Canterlot?_

 _YEAH!...but, but I don't know if I should go. We can go together, we can start a new life here._

 _Hope, if the Princesses wanted me, I would've gotten the letter. You have potential and they see it. It would be unwise not to go._

 _I'm scared._

 _We'll always be together Hope. Come hell or high water, we'll get through this together._

 _I love you!_

 _Heh, love you too._

Voices of Hope when we were children flashed before my eyes as I mindlessly stared at the body.

Memories flashed before me of our lives together, she and I were irresepartable, even when she went off to Canterlot to learn with the Alicorn Princesses, we never strayed apart.

One mistake ruined drastic mistake of my part changed both of our lives. Lead us down this dark path we were in now.

A path lead to blood and death of one.

Tears streamed down my eyes, a painful guilt overwhelmed me.

"What...what have I done..?"

Before I could react or respond to what happened, there was this loud scream, the sound blew out the flames and the snow around us. The blast of the sound threw me across the tundra, skitting along the ground.

What...What the actual fuck was that?!

Gathering up my senses, I looked up and gasped. It was Umbré.

And she was changing.


	8. Part eight: All your fault

Umbré couldn't believe what she was seeing. Hope lying still in the snow, the cabin that was meant to be her new home was no more.

As young as the child was, she knew already what death was. She felt it the moment her mother and sibling passed away. This sickly, yucky thing occured while she was in the womb.

Hopey was supposed to be Umbré's mother. Hopey said she would take care of her.

As the child stood over the corpse, something brushed against her tiny hooves. The unicorn looked down and her tiny heart stopped.

It was the photograph of her and Hope at the Crystal Faire. Though the corners of the photo were burnt, she could still hear the voices…

She could still hear her…

 _While we're here, we should do some shopping….you do need some toys and a bed… though after last night, I don't mind the evening snuggles…_

The only voice Umbré could hear was of Hope… her Hopey...

Umbré let out a scream, the sound was loud and powerful enough to kick the debris, the fire and snow away from her. The shockwave of the scream was even powerful enough to blow Sombra across the tundra.

A leash snapped from within the screaming child, purple mists seeped from the corners of her eyes, bones cracking and repairing itself, skin turning grotesque grey, long curved horn grew on her head, her tail and mane merged into flowing, flickering shadows. More horns grew along her spine and head, fangs grew longer and more noticeable. Her hooves turned cloven, dangerously sharp. Wings like a dragon grew out and extended, the same length and width as Flurry Heart's massive wings.

The Demon has awakened.

When turning towards Sombra, she snarled. Eyes solid black, filled with rage and anger, she attacked.

Sombra was surprised that the child had changed, teleporting out of the way as the demon lunged at him. When reappearing not far from her, Umbré attacked again.

"H-hey, it's not I who did this!" Sombra dodged again. When he threw up a shield so the child couldn't get to him, the demon slipped through the shield like it was nothing and tackled him to the ground.

The child's cloven hooves dug into his chest, causing Sombra to shout in pain. He threw her off of him with his magic, blood seeping from his chest, right where his heart was. the wound not closing. The area began darkening, black veins began to spread.

"Poisoned hooves...great." Sombra gritted his teeth. Starting to sweat and breathing heavily. He just looked up just in time to see a burst of black fire shooting at him. He gasped and teleported out of the line of sight, appearing five hundred feet from where he was at.

The demon appeared where he was at, a beam shooting at him, blasting Sombra across the tundra. The power of the blast was able to send the ex-tyrant all the way to the Crystal Empire.

Sombra slammed against a building and fell to the ground.

His head spun when he tried to get up. Whatever poison the child had, it was spreading quick. He felt his whole body heated up, making him weak.

"Oh my Sweet Celestia, it's King Sombra!" The scream of a Crystal Pony echoed the Empire. "The Tyrant is back!"

* * *

Ponies started screaming in panic that I was standing in front of them and took off running in fear.

 _How bloody hard is it to get that child? What's taking so long? You better not be going against me, my son._ Mother's voice echoed in my already swimming head.

I snarled at her, this poison was strong enough to keep me down. I tried to use my magic again but it fizzled out. "Oh no…"

 _Sombra?_

"Shut the hell up! This is all your fault!" I snapped at Mother before the child dropped from the sky and landed right in front of me.

The child's horn lit up, charging what I thought was another energy blast. One powerful enough to potentially kill me.

 _ **Enough!**_

This voice cuts between us and a flash of white blinding light sent me screaming. Pain enveloped me before I vanished...


End file.
